More Spotlights Contact: Corporate Development Officer Sabrina Pourmand (650) 568-7337 spourmand@peninsula habitat.org Home Partnerships Spotlight Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Coldwell Banker Hosts Raffle to Build Habitat Homes for Bay Area Families The Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation was built out of the ashes and rubble of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, and now, a century later, the corporation and its affiliated companies continue to help families buy and sell homes, and establish solid foundations for security, stability and growth. "It is truly satisfying to know that for all these years, we've been helping families achieve the American Dream," said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation. "We look forward to seeing even more families achieve that dream over the next hundred years." Coldwell Banker not only helps families who can afford their own homes, but also works with Habitat for Humanity to help less-fortunate, low-income families become homeowners. The corporation's relationship with Habitat for Humanity began after Avram Goldman, president and chief operating officer of Coldwell Baker Residential Brokerage in the San Francisco Bay Area, participated in a Habitat build. "Habitat for Humanity has been our national charity of choice since 1993," said Goldman. "Since then, we've raised millions of dollars for Habitat affiliates across the country and helped build hundreds of homes for hardworking, low-income families." One company, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Northern California, has enthusiastically supported 12 different Habitat affiliates in Northern California including Peninsula Habitat for Humanity, and sponsored more than 40 builds since 1999. "We launched a raffle program back in 1999, in which we challenged agents to sell 50 two dollar tickets to family, friends and clients," said Kacie Ricker, director of marketing, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage. "There are 68 Coldwell Banker offices and 4,800 agents between Monterey and Lake Tahoe and the goal was for every agent to raise $100." Ricker said Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage enlists the help of one agent in each office to drive the campaign, bring the heart and face of Habitat for Humanity to life, and help fellow agents learn more about Habitat's families. Ricker keeps track of the money raised by each office, and then solicits construction proposals for the following year from Northern California Habitat affiliates like Peninsula Habitat for Humanity. She then divides the monies raised based on the uniqueness of each proposal and the amount raised by agents in each region. In the last seven years Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has raised $1.2 million through its annual raffle program. "In 2005, we raised $427,000 and this year we hope to surpass the $500,000 mark," Ricker said. "The raffle will run from July 10 through September 1, and we typically have 40 to 50 prizes and gift baskets to giveaway as well as a grand prize of $5,000 cash." This year's raffle is titled '100 Years of Homes and Hope' in conjunction with Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation's 100th anniversary, and its commitment to raise $5 million and build 100 homes by its centennial anniversary. To date, the Coldwell Banker system has pledged to sponsor 111 homes. "Habitat for Humanity is a strong program," Ricker said. "I think people appreciate that Habitat doesn't just give homes away, instead the organization lends a hand to families looking to better their lives." Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage has partnered with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity for the past five years and invested more than 6,000 hours of volunteer time building homes on the Peninsula and elsewhere in the Bay Area with other affiliates. "This has become one of our most important and worthy projects," Ricker said. "We can't think of a better way to invest in our local communities than by investing in the families who live there and giving them a foundation to help get their lives back on track."